Tethered aerial top



June 21, 1966 .1. T. RADOVAN TETHERED AERIAL TOP Filed Nov. 2, 1962 INVENTOR. Joseph T Rodovc n Maxwell E.Sporrow ATTOR N EY.

United States Patent 3,256,635 TETHERED AERIAL TOP Joseph T. Radovan, 3702 36th Ave., Long Island City, N.Y. Filed Nov. 2, 1962, Ser. No. 235,074 2 Claims. (Cl. 46-61) This invention relates to a yo-yo toy and particularly to improvements in such yo-yo.

The yo-yo is a well-known toy, closely defined in various encyclopedias and dictionaries as a spool having a deep and narrow central groove and having a string attached to the neck of the groove. The operation is so well-known since several centuries that it is not necessary to describe it further.

The yo-yo is conventionally made of wood and consists of two flat discs whichare glued or form-fitted together with a small and short pin extending between the discs, thus providing for the narrow, deep central groove for receiving the string.

There is obviously only a limited chance for brightenmg and decorating or embellishing the toy due to its conventional material and mode of manufacturing. This invention is concerned with providing new means for improving the appearance and the manufacture of a yo-yo and embellishing the same and consists in such novel features, construction, arrangements and combinations of parts as may be shown and described in connection with the article disclosed by way of example only and as illustrative of a preferred embodiment. Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part hereafter and in part will be obvious herefrom or maybe learned by practicing the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide a contrivance for improving the appearance of a yo-yo, rendering it more useful and practical.

It is another object'of the invention to enhance the aesthetic appearance and durability of a yo-yo.

Furthermore, it is an object of the invention to provide a new and improved structure of a yo-yo.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide for an improved yo-yo which can be manufactured easily and economically.

Various further and more specific purposes, features and advantages will clearly appear from the detailed description given below taken in connection with the accompanying drawing which forms part of this specification and illustrates merely by way of example one embodiment of the article of the invention.

In the following description, and in the claims, parts will be identified by specific names for convenience, but such names are intended to be as generic in their application to similar parts as the art will permit. Like reference characters denote like parts in the several figures of the drawing, wherein FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the yo-yo, showing one portion thereof in section;

FIG. 2 is a view of the inner face of one of the component parts, seen in the direction of the arrow A in FIG. 1;

FIG.-3 is a face view of the yo-yo, seen in the direction of the arrow B in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view of one of the transparent covers of the yo-yo shells; and

FIG. 5 is a side view ofthe final assembly of the o-yo. y Referring now in more detail to the drawing illustratice ing a preferred embodiment by which the invention may be realized, there is shown in FIG. 1 an exploded view and in FIG. 5 a completely assembled yo-yo, given the general numeral 10. Two circular discs 11, preferably molded of any one of the thermoplastic materials, form the side bodies of the yo-yo. The discs 11 each have a center bore 12 into which a center shaft 13 is pressed. The center shaft 13 has fluted portions 14 and 15 which proivde a solid grip in the bores 12. The ends 16 of the shafts 13 are somewhat reduced, fitting into the smaller bores 17 of the discs 11, and are arranged for being slightly expanded or upset by peening. Thus, the two discs 11 and the shaft 13 are easily and permanently assembled. Each one of the discs 11 have a plurality of radially arranged ribs 18 on their inner wall 28, which ribs provide the facility for the string of the yo-yo gripping the discs for operating. Toward the outside face of each disc 11 there is a ring-shaped cavity 19 surrounding the hub 20 of the disc 11 and an opening 21 larger in diameter than the cavity 19-. At the inner end of the opening 21 is a recessed area 22. Covers or closures 23, preferably convexly-shaped or dome-shaped, and preferably made of transparent or clear relatively unbreakable plastic, respectively fit with their rims 24 into the openings 21. On the periphery of each rim 24 are small protrusions 25, preferably three in number, evenly spaced apart, which are apt to snap into the recessed area 22, locking the member 23 in position. Decorations 26, such as pictures, photographs, figurines, legends or the like, may be placed into the cavities 19, where they are well protected by the covers 23 and seen therethrough. Covers 23 may function as lenses. Obviously, the contours of the discs 11 and the convex shape of the covers 23 are easily blended into one another, so that a compact, harmonious-looking yo-yo toy, having no sharp corners, such as shown in FIG. 5.

While the invention has been described and illustrated with respect to a certain preferred example, which gives satisfactory results, it will be understood by those skilled in the art after understanding the principle of the invention that various other changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and it is intended therefore in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications.

I claim:

1. An aerial top comprising a pair of molded substantially circular discs, a central shaft supporting said discs, 21 first recess and a second recess arranged in each of said discs, convexly-shaped, substantially transparent covers, each'of said covers having a rim fitting into said first recess and having protrusions on said rim, said protrusions fitting into said second recess whereby said cover is firmly assembled with its corresponding disc, each one of said discs having an inner wall, a cavity in each of said discs adjacent said inner wall, said cavity being open to the outside of said disc, said covers being arranged as lids closing said cavities, and a character-bearing disc disposed in each cavity.

2. An aerial top comprising in combination a pair of molded substantially circular discs, each of said discs having a central bore, a central shaft fitted into said bores, a recess on one side of each of said discs, a cover fitted into each of said recesses, each of said discs having an inner wall, a cavity in each of said discs adjacent said inner wall, said cavity being open to the outside of said disc, said covers being arranged as lids closing said cavities, each central bore having a reduced end, said shaft having a corresponding reduced end fitting into said 3 4 reduced end of said central bore, and said shaft having 2,773,328 12/1956 Fracnkel ct a1. 46-61 fluted ortions grippingly engaging said central bores. 3,089,277 5/1963 Reese 46-61 References Cited by the Examiner FOREIGN PATENTS r 742,836 1/1933 France. UNITED STATES PATENTS 23,228 1907 Great Britain.

1,216,636 2/1917 Wehmger.

1,511,910 10/1924 ROyCe 7 DELBERT B, LOWE, Primary Examiner.

2,247,315 6/1941 Singer 4661 2,629,202 2/1953 Stivers et aL 46*61 ROBERT F. CUTTING, Assistant Exammer.

2,676,432 4/1954 Field 4661 10 

1. AN AERIAL TOP COMPRISING A PAIR MOLDED SUBSTANTIALLY CIRCULAR DISCS, A CENTRAL SHAFT SUPPORTING SAID DISCS, A FIRST RECESS AND A SECOND RECESS ARRANGED IN EACH OF SAID DISCS, CONVEXLY-SHAPED, SUBSTANTIALLY TRANSPARENT COVERS, EACH OF SAID COVERS HAVING A RIM FITTING INTO SAID FIRST RECESS AND HAVING PROTRUSIONS ON SAID RIM, SAID PROTRUSIONS FITTING INTO SAID SECOND RECESS WHEREBY SAID COVER IS FIRMLY ASSEMBLED WITH ITS CORRESPONDING DISC, EACH ONE OF SAID DISCS HAVING A INNER WALL, A CAVITY IN EACH OF SAID DISCS ADJACENT SAID INNER WALL, SAID CAVITY BEING OPEN TO THE OUTSIDE OF SAID DISC, SAID COVERS BEING ARRANGED AS LIDS CLOSING SAID CAVITIES, AND A CHARACTER-BEARING DISC DISPOSED IN EACH CAVITY. 